Rousseau's Theory of FreedomA&C Black, 2006 M03 8 - 144 pages Jean-Jacques Rousseau has a claim to be ranked above even Karl Marx as the political philosopher who has most influenced everyday life. His much-read philosophy of education alone would qualify him for a high place, but his political theory is even more important: decisions affecting millions of people were made based on the reading of certain lines of the Social Contract. Yet while politicians and scholars have studied this book for 250 years, almost no agreement exists on how to interpret its central concept: freedom. Rousseau's theory of freedom has led him to be called everything from the greatest prophet of individual liberty to the designer of the first totalitarian state. This book offers a new, unifying interpretation of the theory of freedom in the Social Contract. Simpson gives a careful analysis of Rousseau's theory of the social pact, and then examines the kinds of freedom that it brings about, showing how Rousseau's individualist and collectivist aspects fit into a larger and logically coherent theory of human liberty. Simpson's book not only helps us to understand one of the pre-eminent political minds of the 18th century, but also brings us into closer conversation with those he influenced, who have done so much to shape our world. And in light of the interest in contemporary contractualist philosophers like Rawls, Scanlon, and Gauthier, readers will find it worthwhile to return to the thinker who offers one of the most radical, profound, and insightful theories of the social contract ever devised. |
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Page ix
... reason for everything that hap- pens . While Rousseau was interested in this issue especially with respect to its ... reasons . To begin with , although The Social Contract covers many areas in social and political theory , its central ...
... reason for everything that hap- pens . While Rousseau was interested in this issue especially with respect to its ... reasons . To begin with , although The Social Contract covers many areas in social and political theory , its central ...
Page x
... reason , his political thought is perhaps more relevant today than it was in his own time . *** It is a pleasure to be able to express my gratitude to a few of the people and institutions that made this work possible . This book began ...
... reason , his political thought is perhaps more relevant today than it was in his own time . *** It is a pleasure to be able to express my gratitude to a few of the people and institutions that made this work possible . This book began ...
Page 11
... reason , without any vestige of venom or prejudice ' ( C 378n ) . Another reason might be that , at the time he wrote the letter , The Social Con- tract was finished but had not yet been published ; and he was unusually jealous of its ...
... reason , without any vestige of venom or prejudice ' ( C 378n ) . Another reason might be that , at the time he wrote the letter , The Social Con- tract was finished but had not yet been published ; and he was unusually jealous of its ...
Page 16
... reason that one depicts the state of nature as peaceful and the other as violent is that they describe two different things . One describes the most basic existence of people who are motivated only by pity and a concern for self ...
... reason that one depicts the state of nature as peaceful and the other as violent is that they describe two different things . One describes the most basic existence of people who are motivated only by pity and a concern for self ...
Page 19
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Contents
1 | |
7 | |
Political society | 28 |
Civil freedom | 48 |
Democratic freedom | 71 |
Moral freedom | 92 |
Conclusion | 110 |
References | 119 |
Index | 123 |
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Common terms and phrases
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